Flexible shaft machine



June 14, 1949. A. w. MALL 2,473,286

I FLEXIBLE SHAFT MACHINE Filed April 1, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 14, 1949. A. w. MALL 2,473,286

FLEXIBLE SHAFT MACHINE Filed April 1, 1946 4 sheets sheet 2 June 14, 1949. w, L 2,473,286

FLEXIBLE SHAFT MACHINE Filed April 1, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 llWENTOR June 1 4, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet, 4

Filed April 1, 1 946 //VVE/Y Tog hlllllllllltllllllll l'llll IIIL M L Q Q W 9 mo M x Q3 E2222": IF. I w 11 al i i 1 i! m I Q m Q Patented June 14., 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT Arthur W. Mall, Flossmoor, Ill.,-.assignor toMall Tool Company, Chicago, 111., a corporationof Illinois Application April 1, 1946, Serial No. 658,828

4. Claims. 1.

This invention relates to flexible shaft machines. wherein the working tool is remote from the power unit whiofh' actuates. the tool, said tool being drivenby a-fiexiblepower transmitting shaft. The generalobject of this invention is to provideremote controlmeans for controlling the speedunit and/or for starting and stopping the power unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved meansior quickly detaching the shafting. from either the power unit or the working tool actuated by the power unit, saidmeansbeing. also incorporated in the general objective of controlling the speed vor thestartingand stopping oi-the power unit.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent uponreading the followingspecification and-upon examination of -the drawings in which:

Fig. 1-15; aside elevational view of myinven-tion as used with a gasoline engine in conjunction with a concrete vibrator tool;

Fig. 2 shows adifierent type of'workingtool;

Fig. 3. is a detail plan View ofthe remote'con'trol actuating means;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of my invention as usedv in connection with the actuation of the switch of an electric motor;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a'detailed sectional view of the working tool end of my machine;

Fig. '7 is a detailed view of'the' coupling device as shown in Figs. 5 and'fi Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detailed view taken from Fig. 7; v

Fig. 9' is a detailed sectional viewshowing a modification of my coupiing means;

Fig. 10" is a detailed sectional view showing another modification ofmy coupiingmeans;

Fig. 11 is a sectional end view taken on line In generaL-my invention-consisted a power unit A, which ma ice-either a gasoline engine, electric motor or some othertypeof power transmittmgunit. A' fieXibleshaftB' is driven'b'y' the ower unit A and: transmits. rotative power to the working tool 0.: Kfiexibl housing Denc'ases the flexible shaft B. and serves'as' a bearing for same.

In the'preierred'embodiment Of m invention as shown best in Figs. 1K3; 5 and o'Iihave shown the general features ofmy invention. Referring to Fig. 5, the. power. unit. is provided .at. its forward endwitha casing-{which forms part oi the entire transmission housing... The. driving. shaft 2 which is directly connected to the engine shaft 3 transmits rotative motion to the flexible shaft B. Rigidly securedto the casing 2 is a-cover lhavihg acylindrical sleeve porti0n5 extending outwardly therefrom. The outer end of sleeve portion 515 turned'downso as to be smaller in diameter than the inner end of said sleeve portion 5;

The flexible housing D may be comprised of an internal steel ribbon- 6. helicall-y woundv to form a tube; Layers: of rubber l andfabric 8 encase the flexible tube 6 and in combination with the flexible tube 6 form a'oomposite flexibl casing or housing referredto as D. The housing D and shaft B may be ofany desired length. The housing D at each or its ends is provided; with steel ferrules Sand 9a, which are preferablysecured to the housing Dbybeingconipressed into the housingD as shown at Ill and H. In viewing Fig. 5 it will be seen that the inner end lz of the ferrule 9 is rotatably received'within sleeve portion- 5 of the cover 4. One of r the important features of my inventioninvolves the rotation of the inner endof sleeve 9-. within sleeve portion 5 as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

It will be: noted that the drive shaft 3 has an inner bore l3 to receive the driving tip Moi the flexible shaft B. It will benoted in viewing Fig. 5- thatthe driving tip I his broken in section for thepurpose of showing the detail of the drive nut l5. The drivenut i5 is threaded onto the outer end of drive shaft 3- so as to be rigid and rotatabl th-erewith. Thedrive nut leis provided with internal spline j teeth i6 which mesh with the spline grooves [1 in the drive tip [4. Thus the: drivetip l4 of flexible shaft 13 is removably inserted through the drive nut l5- and is driven by said drive nut [5. The drive tip I4 is, of course, rigidly securedto the flexible shaft B so as to be rotatable therewith. v I

Acollar l8 rotatably and slidably encases the sleeve portion 5 of cover 41 A- compression spring l 91 bearsv at on end against an annular shoulder 20 ofs-leeve portion Sand bears at theother end against theannular shoulder 2!" of collar I8, thus urging collar [8 away from cover 4 in normal locking position as shown in Fig. 5. A removable lock ring. 22 prevents collar i-llfrom becoming disengagedfrom sleeve 5. It will be noted that theinner end. ii of ferrule El isproVided with arr annular groove 23 showno nl y in cross section in Fig. 5. A steel ball-24 (of which there is preferably 4 whenurged into theannular: groove 23 prevents; the ferrule 9 from being withdrawn out of the sleeve 5. It will be notedthat the collar is i'sprovided with an internally restricted bore" 25 which bore provides a circular bearing surface forcing the steel balls 24 into the annular groove When it is desired to withdraw ferrule 9 from sleeve 5 the collar I8 is manually moved toward cover 4 against the compression spring I9, whereupon the steel balls 24 are permitted to drop into the circular recess 26 in collar l8, permitting withdrawal of the ferrule 9 from sleeve 5. Likewise, when ferrule 9 is being inserted into sleeve 5, the collar I8 is also manually moved toward cover 5 so as to permit retraction of th steel balls 24 into recess 26, thereby allowing the inner end I2 of ferrule 9 to slide into the bor of sleeve 5. Thus it can be seen that the flexible shaft assembly, including shaft B and housing D, can be readily and quickly connected and disconnected from the power unit A.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, as previously pointed out, the ferrule 9 along with housing D are rotatably received by sleeve 5 so that the entire housing D is rotatable relative to power unit A. The importance in providing housing D to be rotatable relative to power unit A, is incorporated in my remote control actuating mechanism. Heretofore it has been customary in flexible shaft machines to control the speed of rotation of the working tool C by having a man stationed at the power unit to manually actuate the switch or throttle of the power unit. If there was only one man attending the flexible shaft machine it was necesesary for him to control the speed or the stopping and starting of the working tool C by carrying said tool up to the power unit and then manually actuating the switch or throttle of the power unit. A very important I feature of my invention is to eliminate the necessity of having a man stationed at the power unit or to eliminate the necessity of carrying the working tool up to the power unit by providing remote control means, operable from the working tool C itself for actuating the switch or throttle of the power unit. Said remote control means functions by merely manually rotating the housing D relative to the power unit A, which manual rotation of housing D can be accomplished at the remote end of said housing D where the working tool is located. In the prior art it has been known to use remote control means for actuating the switch or throttle of a power unit, said remote control devices being auxiliary to housing D, such as, for example, providing a wire or string which runs along the housing D exteriorly thereof. These devices have generally proven to be inadvisable. It will be noted that my invention eliminates these auxiliary devices in that the flexible housing D, itself, is utilized as the remote control actuating device in addition to serving its normal function as a bearing for the flexible shaft B.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, as previously pointed out, it will be noted that the inner end [2 of ferrule 9 is rotatable within sleeve 5, the steel balls 24 riding on the circular surface 25 when housing D is rotated relative to transmission housing 2, said steel balls 24 being also free to ride in the annular groove 23 in ferrule 9. A lever arm 21 is rigidly secured to ferrule 9 by means of clamping device 28. A bell crank lever 29 is pivotally secured to housing 2 and has a bifurcated end 30 which receives the free end of lever 2'1. When lever 21 is actuated by the rotation of housing D the bell crank lever 29 is likewise actuated. A connecting rod 3| is pivotally connected at 32 to bell crank 29 and has a hook 33 at its opposite end which overhangs throttle lever 34. A tension spring 35 is connected to one end of the throttle lever 34 and is also connected at its other end to an adjustable screw 36, said screw 36 being threaded into a lug 31 which is secured to the transmission housing. The spring normally tends to urge the throttle lever in engine idling direction. When it is desired to increase the speed of the engine, the housing D is rotated, overcoming the tension of spring 35.

Referring to Fig. 4, the rod 3la is secured to the switch lever 34-a whereby to turn the switch on and off.

In Fig. 6, I have shown the working tool end of my machine and it is important to note that the working tool is rotatable relative to housing D. This rotatability is accomplished in the same manner as the rotatability of housing D relative to housing 2 is accomplished, as heretofore described. Like reference numerals with the letter 0. added, have been used to designate the various parts at the working tool end. The reason for rotation of the working tool relative to housing D arises from the fact that in the use of a tool of the type shown in Figs. 2 and 6 the operator manually grasps the gripping portion 40 in one hand and the housing D in the other hand. It is therefore possible for the operator to rotate housing D with one hand, while holding the working tool C steady against the work.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, I have shown modified forms of my invention. In Fig. 9 the inner end 219 of ferrule 91) is provided with a radially outwardly extended circular lip 4| which is free to move slightly within the space between annular shoulder 42 and the outer end 43 of cover 72b, thereby permitting sleeve [2b to rotate within supporting collar 44. Collar 44 is threaded onto the hub portion 45 of cover 27) until it engages annular shoulder 45. Housing D is thus separated from cover 2 by unscrewing collar 44.

In Fig. 10 the nose portion [20 of ferrule 9c encases the nose portion 48 of sleeve 49. A radially outwardly flared annular lip 49 and a removable thrust washer 50 prevent ferrule from becoming separated from sleeve 49. The distance between thrust washer 5i) and annular shoulder 5| is sufficient to permit a slight movement of ferrule 90 relative to sleeve 49 thereby permitting housing D to rotate relative to support sleeve 49. Sleeve 49 is threaded onto hub portion 50 of cover 2c and is supported thereby.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A machine comprising a driving unit comprising a stationary housing portion and a rotatable shaft therein, a flexible shaft unit connected to the driving unit and comprising a flexible casing and a flexible shaft, the flexible shaft being operatively connected to the rotatable shaft of the driving unit, means connecting the flexible casing to the driving unit housing including means fixed with respect to the housing and means rotatable with respect to the housing, the last named means being connected to the flexible casing so that the casing has relative rotary movement with respect to the housing, means for regulating the operation of the driving unit, and means associated with the flexible casing for manipulating the regulating means in response to the movement of the casing.

2. A machine comprising a driving unit comprising a stationary housing portion and a rotatable shaft therein, a flexible shaft unit connected to the driving unit and comprising a flexible casing and a flexible shaft, the flexible shaft being operatively connected to the rotatable shaft of the driving unit, means removably connecting the flexible casing to the driving unit housing including means fixed with respect to the housing and means slidably movable with respect to the housing, the last named means being connected to the flexible casing so that the casing has relative slidable movement with respect to the housing, means for regulating the operation of the driving unit, and means associated with the flexible casing for manipulating the regulating means in response to the movement of the casing.

3. A machine comprising a power unit, a shaft driven by the power unit, a casing enclosing the shaft, a working tool operatively connected to the shaft for actuation thereby, the shaft being rotatable in the casing, means mounting the casing for rotation thereof independently of the shaft,

means effective to change the speed of operation 2 of the power unit, and means operatively connecting the casing to the change speed means so that the operating speed of the power unit may be changed upon rotation of the casing.

4. A machine comprising a driving unit comprising a stationary housing portion and a rotatable shaft therein, a flexible shaft unit connected to the driving unit and comprising a flexible casing and a flexible shaft, the flexible shaft the movement of the casing.

ARTHUR W. MALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 0 Number Name Date 796,637 Graber Aug. 8, 1905 1,592,550 Webb July 13, 1926 1,714,865 Gentile May 28, 1929 1,751,174 Richards et al. Mar. 18, 1930 2,172,593 Prince et al Sept. 12, 1939 2,204,007 Baily June 11, 1940 2,235,189 Wuestner Mar. 18, 1941 2,278,095 Rogers Mar. 31, 1942 2,322,877 Parker June 29. 1943 

